Hi Lee & Cagle group & family
I do not know if I shared this with you it is my story of the wagon train
trip to Idaho and back to Newton County, Arkansas. with New Paper articles that
we had found when my cousin Patsy and her husband took me to Kansas we found
some of the articles and we had to leave I thought I would be able to order the
news paper film from the mormon church but when I got back to California
found out I could not get them one of the my cousins told me her daughter would
try and get them and she was able to get them and copied them for her mom and me
what a wonderful find News papers from 1880 from Sept to Nov 1880 just little
things I bet if this man who wrote these would have never thought that
someone from 2003 would ever be interested in what he had put in the paper in 1880.
I wish I was good at writing things it is hard for me to put my thoughts on
paper but I tried, hehe
Love NancyJane
The Wagon Train Story
The following is some of the information that we have gathered on the Wagon
Train Adventure.
I have 1880 newspapers from Americus, Kansas Notes by Mr. Burow, letters from
pension records from family members, who tell of the deaths of the family
members who died on the way home from Idaho Territory to Newton County, Arkansas.
They were all trying to make it back to Newton County...
In 1879 a group of family members headed their wagons toward Idaho Territory,
for the most part, they were all from Newton County, Arkansas and all family
members. The names of the families who traveled together were: Cagle,
Standridge, Meek/Meeks, Lane, Adams, Nolan, and Rigney. Charles Arter Cagle was a
farmer and Baptist Minister who was a driver on the wagon train. Records do not
indicate whether he was the head or lead driver of the wagon train. The caravan
of families stopped in Wyoming and others in Idaho Territory. Some of the
members of the wagon train lived in Albion and some in the 14th District. All were
listed in the 1878 and 1880 Idaho Census.
While there, they worked as farm laborers and cooks, earning and saving what
they could so that they might return to Newton County, Arkansas. May 31, 1880,
after the census was taken, they lined up their wagons and headed for Newton
County. They followed the Oregon Trail, along the Snake River to Idaho and
would venture along the same route on their return to Arkansas. It would have
taken four to five months to get back to Arkansas. On the way home, some of the
family members drank water from a well, river, or other source of contaminated
water. They became ill with typhoid fever, resulting in the death of several
members of our families who traveled together.
Lydia Margaret "Lidie" Standridge Cagle, became ill and died on September
30,1880 in Ameicus, Lyon County, Kansas, she was the wife of Charles Arter Cagle.
Lydia had given birth to her 8th child, Melvira on September 14, 1880, just
two weeks prior to her illness and death. Charles loved his wife and wanted to
give her a proper burial. He cut off Lydia's long dark hair and sold it to a
man who made horse whips out of her hair, in exchange the man provided a proper
burial for Lydia. Alexander Standridge died two days before Lydia, Alexander
was the son of Jeremiah and Nancy Cagle Standridge and husband of Mary
Elizabeth Tilley. Nancy Cagle Standridge, wife of Jeremiah "Jerry" Standridge
also
died of typhoid fever on October 20, 1880. It is believed that Burton Columbus
Cagle about 7 years old, and several other family members also died. Of the
eight children born to Charles and Lydia, only five survived. After Lydia's
death, Charles hired a wet nurse to feed and take care of his new baby and his
small children. The wet nurse hired by Charles, was Mary Elizabeth Tilley
Standridge, who would become Charles second wife on March 27, 1881in Newton County,
Arkansas, and filed in Pope County, Arkansas. We do believe that our family
members are all buried in a cemetery. There was a cemetery called Americus
Cemetery in this town in 1880.
We gathered our information from the newspapers-- "Emporia News", under the
"Americus Notes"--from September 20 1880 to November 6 1880. These articles
(Americus Notes) were written by a man named Burlow, one hundred and twenty two
years ago. I do not think that Mr. Burlow would have ever dreamed that his
articles would mean so much to our families this many years later.
Notes from Emporia News, Americus, Lyon County, Kansas Americus Notes by
Burlow.
Monday September 20, 1880: Two families arrived in Americus, Kansas at the
Howard's home on their return trip from Idaho to Arkansas, one man is very sick,
this is what caused the delay for the wagon train.
Wednesday September 21 1880 (looks like it should say Tuesday) Five teams of
those Arkansas folks arrive at the Howard's home, now there are four sick ones
at the Howard's home and you would think it was turned into a hospital.
Wednesday September 22 1880 The sick ones at the hospital are not as well
today.
Saturday September 25 1880 The hospital invalids are somewhat better today.
The neighbors have resolved themselves into a sanitary committee and many
needful things have been brought in to make the sick ones comfortable.
Monday September 27 1880 One of the sick ones at the Howard's house died
yesterday and will be buried today. They did not have a name for him. The sick are
no better today and the recovery of one or two others is rather improbable.
(We believe the man who died to be Alexander Standridge son of Jeremiah and
Nancy Cagle Standridge and husband of Mary Elizabeth Tilley Standridge we know
from family records that Alexander died two days before or two days after the
death of Lydia Margaret Standridge Cagle. This would make his death date
September 26, 1880).
Thursday September 30 1880 One family left the hospital and started for
"Ar-kan-sas". There are still about 25 left, five of them of whom are down sick
at
present, with good prospects for more. Typhoid fever seems to be the
prevailing disease. One of the women folks were buried to day making the second fatal
case from this place. The family that left this morning had three among them
that had better have been under the doctor's care.
( This is my gr gr grandmother Lydia Margaret Standridge Cagle wife of
Charles Arter Cagle)
Saturday October 4, 1880 The sick ones at the hospital are improving since
the sanitary committee did such good work for them and a repetition of their
losses is not at present expected.
Monday October 6, 1880 Latest from the hospital, only seven sick, not nine s
been reported. Two are dangerously sick, two are improving fast and three
without much change for better or worse. Two of the ones that were sick are
counted among the well ones now.
Friday October 8 1880 The Americus Hospital is under the charge of Dr.
Stover.
Saturday October 9, 1880 All the sick ones are improving.
Thursday October 14, 1880 A child at the hospital by the name of Standridge,
died today and was buried after sundown. The latest funeral we ever heard of.
Ask Judge Cunningham about the graveyard witness.
Sunday October 17, 1880 The remaining six that are sick at the hospital are
on the imporve.
Thursday October 21, 1880 Mrs. Nancy Standridge departed this life at the
hospital yesterday morning at 7:30 a.m. This makes the third one of that family
and the fourth one from that place that death has marked as victims.
Thursday October 26, 1880 Hospital sick ones are improving and Standridge
proposes to move out next Monday.
Monday November 1, 1880 Charley Cagle is quite sick and Dr Wright has been
called to attend him. The rest of the hospital ones are improving fast, but they
will not leave for some time yet. The county doctor has not been there since
a week ago Saturday.
(This is my gr gr grandfather Charles Arter Cagle who was the husband of
Lydia Margaret Standridge Cagle who died on September 30 1880)
Saturday Nov 6, 1880 The Americus hospital in en route for Arkansas and ye
local reporter "Mourneth for items." By Burlow
(Written just the way it is in the newspaper)
Census records of the Families on the Wagon Train:
1880 Census Albion, Cassia County, Idaho (page 161A)
42-42
Cagle,
Martha -- H Travling GA GA GA (Martha Isabel Pine Tree)
Margaret 18 D AR GA GA (should be AR TN GA)
Nolan, Charles 21 Boarder CA Ire Ire
(Martha is the mother of all the Cagle's that went to Idaho Territory
43-43
Cagle,
Charles 32 H Farmer TN TN TN
Lydia 33 W AR TN MO
Lemuel R. 13 S AR TN AR ( Lemuel Riley)
Mary Ann 12 D AR TN AR
Martha I. 9 D AR TN AR (Martha Isabel)
Burton C. 7 S AR TN AR (Burton Columbus)
Margaret E. 3 D AR TN AR (Margaret Emeline)
(Margaret Emeline is my gr grandmother)
44-44
Meek, Susan 36 H TN TN TN (Susan Cagle Standridge Meek/Meeks)
Samuel S. 18 S AR TN TN (he was a Standridge)
Jeremiah 13 S AR TN TN (aka William Marion Cagle )
James W. 9 S AR TN TN (James Washington) (aka James Richard
Cagle)
Esquire 6 S AR TN TN
45-45
Standridge,
Jeremiah 46 H Farmer AR TN TN
Nancy 43 W TN TN TN (Nancy Cagle)
Isabel 17 D AR AR TN
George W. 12 S AR AR TN (Geroge Washington)
Mary E. 10 D AR AR TN (Mary Elizabeth)
Grant 6 S AR AR TN (Ulysess S. Grant)
Martha 5 D AR AR TN (Martha Pine Tree)
46-46
Standridge,
Richard 36 H Farmer AR TN TN
Nancy J. 39 W KY KY KY (Nancy Jane Felkins)
Lemuel W. 15 S AR AR KY
Tennessee 14 D AR AR KY
Louisanna 12 D AR AR KY
Alabama 11 D AR AR KY
George W. 8 S AR AR KY
Arkansas 6 D AR AR KY
Missouri 5 D AR AR KY
James H. 4 S AR AR KY
Virginia 1 S AR AR KY
47-47
Rigney, William 41 Freighter KY TN GA
1880 Census 14th District, Cassia County, Idaho (page 163)
48-48
Standridge, Alexander 40 H Farmer AR AR TN (s/o Jeremiah & Nancy
Cagle Standridge)
Mary 20 W AR AR AR (Mary Elizabeth Tilley)
John H. 18 Cousin AR AR TN (s/o John & Susan Cagle
Standridge ) Laborer
(Notes: Alexander's age was wrong, he was in his 20's)
49-49
Standridge,
Alexander 25 H Farmer AR TN TN
Lucinda 24 W AR AR AR (Lucinda Catherine Ross)
Mary J. 9 D AR AR AR
John W. 6 S AR AR AR
James M. 2 S AR AR AR
50-50
Lane, William J. 24 H Farmer IN IN IN
Mary E. 21 W AR TN TN (Mary E. Cagle)
(Notes: married in Ada County, Idaho just before they left to go back home
to Newton Co., Arkansas)
51-51
Cagle, James J. 24 H Farmer AR AR AR (should be AR TN GA/TN, s/s
Martha Cagle)
Eliza 23 W AR TX TX (Might be AR TN TN)
(Eliza Meeks)
Henry C. 4 S IT AR AR
James L. 2 S AR AR AR
Margaret 9/12 S ID AR AR
52-52
Adams, John 26 Laborer AR MO AR
53-53
Kingsburg, Thomas 48 H Freighter NY NY NY
Daniel 1 8 S IA NY NY
John 13 S ID NY NY
1880 Sublet Creek, Unita, Wyoming
June 2, 1880
Household 44
Meeks,
William Head 33 TX
Rebecca Wife 36 TN
Mary Dau 13 AR
Louis Son 10 MO
Margaret Dau 9 AR
Susan Dau 6 AR
Moses Son 10\12 WY
Meek, John brother 15 AR
(We believe that they stopped in Wyoming when Rebecca gave birth to Moses.
William and Rebecca and family came back at the same time as the others and they
moved to Eufaula, McIntosh County, Oklahoma. William R Meeks was arrested for
murder in Eufaula and put into prison, he had family members and friends come
and testify that he was in Idaho Territory when the crime was committed and
was released. Statements were made that there was 13 wagons on this trip to
Idaho Territory.)
Note: Not on the wagon train, but there is a family connection between,
William A. Rigney. When the wagon train arrived back home, some of the family
stayed in Newton County, Arkansas, other members of the family moved to Eufaula,
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. There are probably still more family members we do
not know about on this wagon train.
(Geneva Smith, daughter of Sue Cole, lives in Kansas and ordered the reel and
copied the information we needed from the Americus Notes. We all thank her.
The information was taken from a different newspaper than my information so Mr.
Burlow must have put info in different papers. The newspaper that we got our
information from had just a few more dates with information in it.)
Prepared by: Nancy Jane Mathews Balmer
Submitted by Nancy Jane Balmer
December 22, 1999
Resubmitted with new information on April 12, 2003